Billfo

Hi,

I'm a UK citizen and I am thinking of going to NZ in a couple of months to visit family for a couple of weeks and I would like to take my Thai girlfriend. Does anyone know if the NZ tourist visas are difficult for a Thai to get? Not sure if it would make any difference that I'm a UK citizen.

Thanks in advance

I don't typically go to coffee shops in town as very few do a better job than I do at home. And those tend to be very pricey.

I agree the likes of starbucks and wawee are a bit on the pricey side, although the nice independent coffee shops are considerably cheaper and the coffee still surprisingly good, granted it requires a bit of trial and error but if you find a nice small coffee shop serving good coffee for about 35 baht, I think that's very reasonable. Plus I guess it depends if you enjoy going to a coffee shop. I enjoy having a coffee and reading my book, I'm prepared to pay a bit extra at wawee near where I live because it's good coffee and nice to sit and read.

I drink Illy coffee kindly bought over by friends or family, it's way too expensive in Rimping to buy here. I'd love a coffee machine but a good one is too bloody expensive!

The illy / Lavazza isnt so bad here.. Its bloody pricy back in the west too.. Lavazza gold was running about 1600b for 2kg of beans and thats bearable.. I like to mix that up with samples but its a reliable known quality.

Boncafe have (had ??) a special on with a saeco bean to cup automat for 26k, yes pricy but makes a dam_n fine cup and my last euro bean to cup, which died after 10 years very solid service was over 1000 euro back then, so see the saeco as expensive but necessary, just have to look at it as the pleasure produced over the lifetime of the machine. French press can do in a pinch but it just doesnt get that bite / crema that pressurized coffee processes do.

Thanks for that Livinlos, I'll have a look at that machine, I'm sure they're very durable too so probably worth the expenditure. Something to consider anyway. Thanks again!

While I don't claim to be a coffee connoisseur, I like to think I know a good cup of coffee when I drink one. When someone said that Asian countries don't know how to make a good cup of coffee, I must totally disagree. Have you ever tried a cup of coffee in the UK? On the whole the coffee in the UK is awful, ask for a latte and you get a cup of vaguely coffee flavoured hot milk.

The best coffee I believe I've had the pleasure of drinking is a New Zealand Flat White. They know how to make a cup. And I must say the latte made in this neck of the woods is almost a flat white. Also the coffee in Thailand is, on the whole, strong and flavourful.

When I'm out, I like to go for Wawee coffee or a small independent coffee shop serving hill tribe coffee, always a good strong latte. Whereas I find starbucks to be a bit too mild but not terrible. At home I drink Hilkoff Italian roast made with a french press or I drink Illy coffee kindly bought over by friends or family, it's way too expensive in Rimping to buy here. I'd love a coffee machine but a good one is too bloody expensive!

Hi,

I'm thinking about visiting Kanchanaburi in the next couple of days, I was just wondering what the weather is like at the moment. I've checked the weather on the internet and all it says is scattered thunderstorms, it says exactly the same for Chiang Mai and it hasn't rained for a good few days here so I don't know how accurate the forecast is.

Thanks!

My AIS 3G internet is down, anyone else having the same problems? Was wondering if it was the weather.

Cheers

I know what you mean Winnie, I tried to get into the movies with food and drink from outside AND I tried to get in without a ticket and they turned me away! fancy that! expecting me not only to buy my food but a bloody ticket too. Fair enough they want us to buy our food from them but buy a ticket!

This is craziness, never have I ever heard of a company trying to make money!

Hi.

I may be wanting to buy a motorbike in Bangkok and get it shipped up to Chiang Mai. Does anyone know roughly how much this would cost?

thanks!

I also have the same problems for about the same time too. Before I could access facebook but it's not been working now for about 2 days. I can sometimes use my hotmail account by using a proxy server but it's a bit hit and miss. Maybe best I call AIS

How about Rugby shirts? Anyone know where I can get a Crusader's shirt in Chiang Mai?

cheers

I'm pretty sure it was near Wat Phra Singh, near the blind school

Hi,

Can anyone recommend a good physiotherapist here in Chiang Mai? And what is the average cost? I've had an ankle injury for far too long and think I should get it sorted.

thanks

Hi,

I'm currently back in the UK visiting the family. I'd like to take some plant seeds back to Thailand, like Mustard Cress or some Grass seeds. Does anyone know if customs allows seeds from a foreign country into Thailand? I know for example Australia is very strict on these kinds of things.

cheers

Hi,

I've been looking at getting the internet and I've been told by both TOT and TT&T I have to pay 4,000 baht to have the telephone lined installed even though the tenants before me had a telephone line. So my other option is the new 3G internet service. Does anyone know if it's good or bad? Any advice would be great.

Thanks!

Hello All,

I'm considering getting an acoustic guitar, I've seen some at Kad Suan Kaew for around 2k-3k. Can anyone recommend makes and/or shops to get a decent acoustic from?

I don't want top of the range or anything just a guitar I can play in my room, not performing or anything.

cheers!

Thanks for the reply.

My previous employment hasn't ended yet, I've been in contact with my old boss and I've told him the situation so he's waiting for me to cancel it. I want the tourist visa so I have a bit of extra time in case I get offered a better paid job.

Just a shame there is so much messing around just for a bloody visa!

Hi,

A bit of a long story. My Visa and work permit will expire on the 30th April 2009, I have a new teaching job lined up but I can't get the documentation needed to get the new Non Imm B Visa until the 4th May. So what I thought best to do is do a visa run to Mae Sai on the 30th April and get a tourist visa which will give me enough time to get the required documentation from my school to go to Vientiane to get the new Non Imm B visa.

Does that sound the best way to do it or is there a far easier way to do this? Like an extension from immigration or something else?

I'm in Chiang Mai if that makes any difference.

Thanks for the help!

Hi,

I have a Non imm b with a work permit, I will not be working at my current place of employment after my contract ends on the 30th April 2009. I am currently searching for a new job. On the 13th April I am going to Malaysia for a holiday so I thought maybe it is best to get a new non-imm B visa from KL, that way I have more time to find a job.

Do you think it's ok to do this? Or are the strange rules because my current visa is tied to a work permit?

The way I understand it is if I leave the country without a re-entry visa my current visa and work permit will die. Am I correct thinking that?

Also to complicate matters further I will be paid by my employer for the last time at the end of April 2009, will that be a problem if I get a new non-imm b before that pay day?

Thanks

Hi,

I've been teaching English in Thailand for the best part of two years now at a government school in Chiang Mai. I am considering returning home to obtain a PGCE qualification in the hope of returning to Thailand and being able to get a teaching job at an international school. I have a degree in Multimedia Technology (computing) and a TEFL already.

Does anyone know if a PGCE would be enough to get a job at an international school?

Thanks

Hi,

I'm after a couple of Tailored shirts, and as you all know there are tons of tailors in CM, can anyone recommend one they've used and is of reasonable price?

cheers.

Thank you everyone for the replies, I like your idea Scott, I'll tell them to do an Ayuttiya trip.

Thank you everyone again, much appreciated!

Hi,

My parents are coming to visit Thailand in a couple of weeks and are spending about 3 days in Bangkok at the hilton hotel near the river. I was just wondering what is the situation with the protests like now? I live in Chiang Mai so I don't know the extent of it. Is it safe or do you think it's best to avoid Bangkok, any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks!

Just a quick question.

Is the water from the water dispensing machines (1 baht for a litre) that I see around Chiang Mai ok for falang to drink? I know it must be clean to a certain level but enough for a falang stomach?

cheers!

Thanks all for the replies,

I'll go look today.

Thanks again!

Hi,

My girlfriend 'misplaced' my DVD player remote control while I was back home and now I can only watch VCDs or DVDs that only require me to press play as I can't navigate menus without the remote! We've asked at different places but nobody seems to know where we can buy a replacement remote. It's an LG DVD player if thats of any difference.

Any help would be appreciated, I want to watch DVDs again!!

Cheers!